Fourths to john condon



(N0 Model.)

B. E. SHERMAN. HORSE STARTER.

Patented July 20, 1897.

I UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

I RICHARD E. SHERMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTI-IS TO JOHN CONDON, DEXTER E. KENYON, AND CLEM CREVELINGQ OF SAME PLACE.

HORSE-STARTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,929, dated July 20,1897.

A I Application filed March 17,1896. Serial No. 583,556. (No model.) M

- My object is to provide a construction of such a device by means of which the barrier may be removed from the path of the horses as speedily or as slowly as may be desired in preparing for a start and Without frightening the horses and whereby the presence of the barrier shall not prevent the horses from making a so-called "running start.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows my improved horse-starting device by a broken View in side elevation;

and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same,

taken at the line 2 on Fig. 1 and viewed in theidirection of the arro\ A is a track supported in elevated position to extend for some distance--say about two hundred feet-horizontally along the opposite sides of a race-course (indicated at C) and to rise at a suitable anglesay about fortyfive degrees-from the farther ends of the rails to a height above that of the horses heads. The track A may involve any of various suitable constructions, that illustrated in Fig. 1 comprising rails, one at each side of the course, composed of parallel upper and lower bars r, preferably in the form of piping, supported in elevated p0sitions-say about breast-high to a horse along the horizontal' portion-by posts r arranged at proper intervals and reinforced by suitable bracing, as represented, the rails being embraced at intervals by yokes r.

B is the barrier, which I prefer to form of a strip of flexible material, such as canvas or analogous woven fabric or webbing, and at its opposite ends the strip is fastened to carriages 19, each having journaled upon it an upper pair of peripherally-grooved rollers q to bear against the upper bar r and a lower pair of similar rollers q to bear against the lower bar 7". The barrier B is adapted to extend entirely across the race-course with the carriages at its ends riding at the rollers q q on the rails r.

1 On the end posts r of the structure, which sustain the track A at its higher extremity, are journaled guide-pulleyso, over each of Which extends from a carriage p a cord 'n or other suitable flexible medium, the cords depending from the pulleys, whereby drawing upon the cords will cause the carriages p to travel andcarry the barrier along the track A toward its higher end.

To control the movement of the barrier, any desired power may be applied to the cords 41, though I prefer a motor D, and especially an electric motor, connected with a rotatory drum D, to which the cords are fastened at their ends to be Wound upon the drum by turning it, through the medium of the motor, in one direction and paid out by turning the drum in the opposite direction.

To use my improved starter, the barrier B is stretched across the course 0 in the manner described at or near the line to which it is desired to draw up the horses for a start, the normal position of the barrier being that indicated by the position of the carriage p, presented in Fig. 1. Until the horses are in line the operator does not disturb the barrier,

though, owing to the yielding manner of sup porting it, should any one or more of the horses advance against it, while it will tend to prevent them from running or to keep them back, it will not resist them sufficiently to do them injury, nor will it for the same reason injure them in case of a running start. In the latter case the operator may work the motor D so slowly as to move the barrier B correspondingly along the horizontal portion of the track A until the horses are all got in line ready for the start, when by speeding the motor the barrier will be rapidly drawn along the track and up the incline out of the way of the horses, thus permitting the start to be made.

What I claim as new, and desire to'secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A horse-starter comprising, in combinat1on, a track extending along opposite sides of a race-course, horizontally throughout a portion of the extent of the track and at an upwardly-inclined angle throughout the remainder of its extent, a barrier provided with carriages at its opposite ends, at which it is supported to travel on the rails of said track unobstructedly from one end to the other thereof, a motor, and a flexible connecting medium between the motor and barrier for drawing the barrier along and up the track by operating the motor, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A horse-starter comprising, in combination, a track A having rails 4" extending along opposite sides of a race course, horizontally throughout a portion of their extent and at an upwardly-inclined angle throughout the remainder of their extent, guide-pulleys 0 on the higher extremities of the inclined sections, a barrier B provided with carriages at its opposite ends at which it is supported to travel on said rails unobstructedly from one end to the other of the track, a motor 13, a drum D connected with the motor to be driven thereby, and cords n connecting said carriages with the drum over said guide-pulleys, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

RICHARD E. SHERMAN. In presence of- .T. H. LEE, R. T. SPENCER. 

